[Review] Switched by Amanda Hocking

Title: Switched

Author: Amanda Hocking

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Published: January 3rd 2012 (first published July 12th 2010)

Series: Trylle (Book #1)

Source: I purchased a copy from a bookstore.

Blurb from Goodreads: When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.

Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.

Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…

Review

My thoughts: Switched is the first book from the Trylle series and it is a stunningly beautiful start for an amazing story. I was meaning to read something by Amanda Hocking for a while now and I couldn't be more amazed. I really loved this book, even though I'm not really a troll fan, mostly because I had picture them as those ugly and scary green creatures. But this isn't just a troll story, it has love, and excitement and everything I like on a book. It's a really great mixture that if you let it, it would blow your mind away.

About the plot: It's so hard to explain the story without giving too much away. Let's see... Wendy is a changeling, a Trylle girl who was switched with a human when they were babies. She has felt a stranger forever in the human world. Like she doesn't belong no matter how much she tries. So, she's an outcast. But she's fine with it. She has Matt, his brother, and he's so good to her that he's everything she needs. But then, a mysterious guy who won't stop staring at her brings some breaking news. Wendy isn't who she thought she was and her mother has been right all along. She's a mythical creature and so is Finn, this handsome and mysterious guy who has come to take her back Forening, where she belongs. There, she'll meet her real mom and the boy which place Wendy took when they were switched. Everything is so new to her and there is so much to make sense of and learn before she's presented as the Trylle princess in front of every Trylle in Forening. So, Wendy is starting a new and long way to become in the person she was always supposed to be. There are ups and downs, and she'll discover the meaning of love in every way possible.

About the characters:
Wendy is a strong-head girl, with a fierce determination to know who she is and what is her place in the world. She's been through a lot, since her human mother tried to kill her when she was six. She feels like she doesn't fit in with her family, and soon she discovers she has persuasion powers which just makes her feel more misplaced. Then everything in her life changes when Finn appears on her school and tries to convince her to leave her brother to go to this mythical town where all their kind live in. 
Finn is a some kind of Trylle bodyguard, who is suppose to take care of Wendy and introduce her to a new world. He's handsome but kind of tough with Wendy. He's used to do whatever it takes to get his job done, but once he meets Wendy, everything begins to spinning out of control.
Rhys is a mansklig, the human who was taken away from home in order to place Wendy in his human family. He has lived on Elora's Palace his whole life. He's caring and funny, and takes Wendy in quickly and without asking question. He's one of the few reasons that Wendy doesn't feel completely out of place on Forening. He's a sweetheart and loved so much this character.
Matt is Wendy's "host brother" and the only one (along with their aunt) who has ever shown her love and has protect her from everything. He was the one who took care of her after their mother tried to kill her and was entered in a mental hospital. He's really protective and would do anything to keep Wendy safe.
Elora is Wendy's biological mom, the queen of Forening, and a real bitch. She's bossy and treats Wendy like she was just another Trylle instead of her daughter. She has a plan for Wendy and won't let anything to get in the way of what she has in mind for the princess.

About the ending: It was some sort of open ending. Not an entirely happy ending since there are two more books to get to that. But it made me feel satisfied. Not so much of a cliffhanger but still keep you interested and wanting to know more of this world.

About the writing: It had me since the first page. I wasn't sure of what to expect, but surely I wasn't expecting being completely amazed. It's fast paced but at the same time it has a lot of details, allowing you to picture the places perfectly. I loved the character development, although there's some things we don't get to fully understand, because this is just the first book of the trilogy. The thing I love the most about this book is that if you can put aside the fantasy element of the book, you have a beautiful and heart-warming love story and with this I mean that even if this is supernatural, you still can relate with everything and I found it completely believable. 

I would recommend it for: Screw the fantasy! You HAVE to read it whether you like the genre or not! 

Rating:

Quotes:


“Wendy: Why are you staring at me?
Finn: Because you're standing in front of me.” 

“Finn: I look at you because I can't look away Wendy.
Wendy: That's kinda creepy.
Finn: I will work on being less creepy then.”

“Did you think you could treat me like shit at a dance, then sneak into my room in the middle of the night and tell me that I'm a troll with magical powers, and I'd just be like, yeah, that sounds right.”

“When something is important to you, you make sure its safe.”


About the author (from her Goodreads page):

I live in Minnesota, and I write young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy mostly. The My Blood Approves series is about vampires in Minneapolis, and its available now. I also wrote the Trylle Trilogy, which is a paranormal romance without vampires, shifters, mermaids, fae, angels, dragons, ghosts, or ninjas.
My latest book is Hollowland - a zombie urban fantasy set in the dystopian near future. It's a bit more violent and gritter than my other books, but there is still romance. Mostly though, Remy kicks a lot of butt. 
I also enjoy Red Bull, Jim Henson, Batman, Jane Austen, Star Wars legos, and I absolutely hate long walks on the beach out of my intense fear/hatred of wet sand 
My favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Alan Moore, and J. D. Salinger, but I don't write anything like them. I have an obsession with River Phoenix, and I've seen Silence of the Lambs more than any other movie, even The Dark Knight. If I were trapped on a deserted island, the one thing I'd take with me would be a boat capable for taking me home.
I'm also the guitarist in a band called the Fraggin Aardvarks, and even though its even twice as cool as it sounds, we haven't had a practice in like two years, so I'm not sure that technically we are still a band. But we never broke up, and it's an awesome thing to tell people, so I'm sticking with it. (We even had a synethesizer!)

Here are some ways you can talk to me:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/amanda_hocking

Facebook: www.facebook.com/amandahockingfans

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/amanda_hocking  

Email: hocking_amanda@hotmail.com

[Review] Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Title: Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins

Published: September 1st 2009

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Series: The Hunger Games (Book #2)

Source: I purchased a copy from a bookstore.

Blurb from Goodreads: Sparks are igniting, flames are spreading and the Capitol wants revenge. 
Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss shoul be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol -a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped created.
Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.
In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before... and surprising readers at every turn.

Review

First thoughts: After reading The Hunger Games, and being blown away by it, I just needed to start Catching Fire right away. I was afraid, though. Because with such a powerful first book, there's so little to do in a sequel. So I started this one feeling a little bit uncomfortable, hoping it wouldn't ruin the whole story. And it didn't. It just blew me away some more. I read a comment from Stephenie Meyer, the Twilight series author, which describes pretty much the exact feeling I have about this book: “Catching Fire not only lived up to my high expectations, it surpassed them. It's just as exciting as The Hunger Games, but even more gut wrenching, because you already know these characters, you've already suffered with them.”

About the plot: This book is divided in three parts and each of them show a different stage in this story. Each one is full with excitement and unexpected turns. 

In the first one, we get to see what's been going on since Katniss and Peeta won the 74th Hunger Games. We learn about the others districts when the couple goes to visit them for the Victory Tour. It shows the consequences of what Katniss did in order to stay alive in the Games. Some of the districts are starting a rebellion. And President Snow knows exactly who is to blame. Besides, things are really mixed up in Katniss love life. Peeta won't talk to her if there isn't a camera shooting them, because of what she said on the train, about everything between them being a just-to-survive kind of thing. And Gale suddenly throwing his heart out to Katniss. So, our girl is pretty confused. On top of that, the President threats Katniss friends and family, so the girl on fire has to keep pretending that Peeta is the love of her life and that everything she has done so far was just because she's insanely in love with him.

The second part was the most unexpected one for me. We can almost see the feelings shifting from fear to pure rage on Katniss behavior. The Quarter Quill is coming and everything that Katniss and Peeta has being trying to forget is starting all over again. But this time, Katniss has made a commitment to herself: she will keep Peeta alive, whatever it takes, even if it is her own life what's on the line.

The third part is the coolest. I love it so much! We get to know some new characters like Finnick  Odair who is the sexiest guy who has ever walk on the face of Earth. Johana Mason the girl who won the Games a few years ago pretending she was all scared and then turning into a killing machine. 

About the writing: The first part of the book is a little bit slower that the first book. But then it all starts spinning around so fast that you don't have time to worry about it. The story is told from Katniss point of view like the first book, but now that you already know her, you understand why she thinks and does everything and sometimes you are able to predict what she's going to say next, like she is one of your best friends and you know her that well. I found that pretty amazing, because I love to feel related to the character I read about.

About the ending: I was NOT expecting that. God! I don't know how Collins manages to keep amazing me that way. Picture the most unfortunate turn of events and there you go! 

I would recommend it for: If you read the Hunger Games and liked it. You can not miss this one. And if you haven't read the first book, what are you waiting for?!

Rating:

Quotes:

“My nightmares are usually about losing you. I'm okay once I realize you're here.” 

“I realize only one person will be damaged beyond repair if Peeta dies. Me.” 

“Really, the combination of the scabs and the ointment looks hideous. I can't help enjoying his distress.
"Poor Finnick. Is this the first time in your life you haven't looked pretty?" I say.
"It must be. The sensation's completely new. How have you managed it all these years?" he asks.
"Just avoid mirrors. You'll forget about it," I say.
"Not if I keep looking at you," he says.” 

“The bird, the pin, the song, the berries, the watch, the cracker, the dress that burst into flames. I am the mockingjay. The one that survived despite the Capitol's plans. The symbol of the rebellion.” 

“At some point, you have to stop running and turn around and face whoever wants you dead.The hard thing is finding the courage to do it.” 

About the author: 

Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she penned multiple stories for the Emmy-nominated Little Bear and Oswald. She also co-wrote the critically acclaimed Rankin/Bass Christmas special, Santa, Baby! Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days.
While working on a Kids WB show called Generation O! she met children’s author James Proimos, who talked her into giving children’s books a try.
Thinking one day about Alice in Wonderland, she was struck by how pastoral the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban surroundings. In New York City, you’re much more likely to fall down a manhole than a rabbit hole and, if you do, you’re not going to find a tea party. What you might find...? Well, that’s the story of Gregor the Overlander, the first book in her five-part series, The Underland Chronicles.
Suzanne also has a rhyming picture book illustrated by Mike Lester entitled When Charlie McButton Lost Power.
She currently lives in Connecticut with her family and a pair of feral kittens they adopted from their backyard.
The books she is most successful for in teenage eyes are the Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. These books have won several awards, including the GA Peach Award.
Website: http://suzannecollinsbooks.com/

Waiting on Wednesday [2]

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming books we are looking forward to being released!

Here is my pick:

Title: Pulse (Pulse Trilogy #1)

Author: Patrick Carman

Expected publication date: February 26th, 2013

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Length: 320 pages (Hardcover)

From Goodreads: 

From New York Times bestselling author Patrick Carman, a teen fantasy-adventure of epic proportions. In 2051, some teens have a “pulse,” the power to move objects with their minds. Compulsively readable, with thrilling action scenes and a tender love story.

The year is 2051, and the world is still recognizable. With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters so powerful they will flatten their enemies by uprooting street lights, moving boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with great talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.

Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy is a stunning, action-filled triumph about the power of the mind—and the power of love.

Why am I waiting?

As usual, I would wait for the cover alone. It is fascinating, isn't it? I'm obsessed with it. Besides, I've heard a lot about this author I'd really like to give him a try by reading this trilogy, so I'm really looking forward for this one. The idea of mind powers has always interested me, so I can't wait.

What do you think about Pulse?

What's your WOW? I'd love to read your thoughts. Speak your mind in the comment section below. If you follow me, I'll follow you back, just let me know in your comment.

Musing Mondays [2]

MUSING MONDAYS is a weekly event where MizB of Should Be Reading will ask a book/reading-related question, and you can answer with your own thoughts on the topic.

This week's musing asks several question, but you can pick just one, some of them or answer them all, the questions are:

1.- If you had to choose only 3 books to read forever, which ones would you choose? 

2.- Is there a character that you absolutely love but that you cannot get a good mental picture of? 

3.- Make a plea for your favorite book. Make others wanna read it! 

4.- If you could create a soundtrack for a book you’ve read recently, which songs would you use and why? 

5.- Do you read outside your preferred genre? Has your preferred genre changed?

6.- Do you have a favorite book/movie combination?

7.- Name a book that you thought you wouldn’t like much, but you ended up loving.

8.- If you were Book Czar of the world, is there one book you would like to require every kid to read? 

I'll pick the questions 1 & 5.

1.- If you had to choose only 3 books to read forever, which ones would you choose? 
My answer: This is a hard question, because I love reading new books and I wouldn't want to get tired of my favorites ones just by reading them too much. But I think I'll never stop loving:

Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

I think I'll never get tired of the Harry Potter series and since this one is my favorite of all of them, I'd be glad to read it until the end of times.

                                                              The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I loved this book so much! I've read it five times already and I still enjoy every moment of it, just like the first time, so I think this would be a good choice.

Old Magic by Marianne Curley
If you haven't read this one, you're missing something really great! It has everything I could ask for in a book. It is fast-paced, it has romance, magic, time-travel, adventures, it is well-written. I have read it two times, but I would love to read it over and over again.








5.- Do you read outside your preferred genre? Has your preferred genre changed?Do you read outside your preferred genre? Has your preferred genre changed
My answer: I've read so many genres I don't think I could name them all. I almost everything that comes into my hands (even the back of the cereal box). I love to find new genres and try new things, although I have my all-times preferred genres, such as Paranormal Romance and YA. However, my favorites change from time to time. For example, right now I'm really into Dystopian and Sci-Fi books. And before that I would have read anything with vampires on it. A while ago I was really into thrillers like Dan Brown's books. And before that I was in love with chick-lit like Sophie Kinsella's books. When I was younger I loved books about magic and adventures like Harry Potter and Narnia... So, you can say that I change my preferred genre quite often, but that doesn't mean that I like everything. There are certain type of books I've tried but didn't like such as Non-fiction or Christian books.

I would love to hear your thoughts, leave me a link with your Musing Monday or your answers on the comment section below. 

Have a nice week!

[Review] The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

Title: The Society of S

Author: Susan Hubbard

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group

Published: May 1st 2007

Series: Ethical Vampire (Book #1)

Source: I purchased a copy from a bookstore:

Blurb from Goodreads: "If you ever want to hide from the world, live in a small city, where everyone seems anonymous."That's the advice of twelve-year-old Ariella Montero, who lives with her father in Saratoga Springs, New York, in a house haunted more by secrets than by memories. "The Society of S" traces her journey south, to Asheville and Savannah, and on to Florida, as she learns that everything she knows about her family is a lie.

When she finds her mother, she learns the truth: Ariella is a fledgling member of the Society of S.

"S" stands for "Sanguinists", a sect of environmentalists concerned with ethics and human rights -- although they happen to be vampires. S also stands for synesthete: a person able to see words and letters in colors. The letter S is lucky for Sara, Ariella's mother, who gravitates to cities such as Savannah and Sarasota. But will it be lucky for Ariella?

Susan Hubbard's novel is an intricate literary mystery that raises provocative questions about the way we live now. Ariella's voice will lure you into a world where you'll meet the "others" among us: vampires who cope with their special nature and need for blood in a variety of ways, ranging from the savage to the mundane to the scientific.

Review

My thoughts: I bought this book in one of my shopping sprees for my birthday, like a year ago. I have to admit that I really liked the cover so I became interested right away. The synopsis sounded interesting too, so I decided to buy it. I didn't even know this was a series. 

When I started to read it, I was excited to find out what was this Society that inspired such compelling cover, but then I got caught on pages and pages of nothing. 

For a vampire book it was terribly slow, before I even reached the third chapter I was already bored. I continued reading just because I refused to lose the money it has costed me. 
It wasn't a bad plot, but I think it wasn't well developed. There are some mysteries and they could have been told in a more captivating way, but they got lost in all the details and irrelevant thoughts on Ari's mind. 
For instance, I never got to understand what the synesthete has to do with the vampires or how this "ability" plays a roll on the plot itself.
I gave it two clocks just because I liked Ariella, not in such a good way either, because I felt sorry for her. But I hate hes father and mother and I though they were selfish and self-centered and obviously a lot of what was happening could have been avoided if they would just talk to each other. I didn't even like her friends and kind-of-boyfriend. 
Well, it was a disappointing book, I didn't have huge expectations, but I obviously expected more than what was delivered to me.

¿Would I recommend it?: I don't think so. Unless you really like vampire stories in a more scientific way.

Rating:

Quote:


“My father was right: people are always leaving. They fall in and out of your life like shadows.” 

About the author:

Susan Hubbard, born in upstate New York, is the author of two collections of short fiction, both winners of national prizes, and four novels. The Society of S was published in May 2007 by Simon & Schuster, and The Year of Disappearances, a sequel, was released in May 2008. The U.S. paperback edition of The Year of Disappearances was published in 2009.
The third volume in the Ethical Vampire series, The Season of Risks, was published in July 2010.
Hubbard's books have been translated and published in more than 15 countries. Her short stories have appeared in TriQuarterly, The Mississippi Review, The North American Review, America West, Kalliope, Ploughshares, and other journals. She is coeditor of 100% Pure Florida Fiction, an anthology. 
She has received teaching awards from Syracuse University, Cornell University, the University of Central Florida, and the South Atlantic Adminstrators of Departments of English. She has been awarded residencies at Yaddo, the Djerassi Resident Artists Project, the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, and Cill Rialaig. 
Hubbard has led writing workshops at universities and arts programs across the United States and the United Kingdom. A former president of Associated Writing Programs, she has served as an assessor and curriculum consultant to several colleges and universities. 
Hubbard currently is a Professor of English at the University of Central Florida. She is an advocate for animal rights, social justice, academic etiquette, and literacy. Her hobbies include running, salvaging, and collecting items of questionable taste.

[Review] Between the Lines by Tammara Webber

Title: Between the Lines

Author: Tammara Webber

Publisher: Razorbill

Published: April 29th 2011

Series: Between the Lines (Book #1)

Source: I purchased a kindle copy from Amazon

Blurb from Goodreads: The first of an irresistible series about hot teen actors by Tammara Webber, author of the New York Times-bestseller Easy.

Seventeen-year-old actress Emma is starring in her first major film role, opposite Hollywood It Boy Reid. The exclusive nightclubs, snapping photographers and screaming fans are a normal part of life for Reid but it's all new to Emma. The rest of the cast befriend her but Emma can't help feeling out of her depth. She's grateful to fellow actor Graham for his friendly support and thinks maybe he's interested in something more - until she sees him sneaking out of beautiful Brooke's room one night . . . 

Reid has no holds barred in his pursuit of Emma; he loves the thrill of the chase but he's also experiencing something new. Could he be genuinely falling for his co-star?

Review

My thoughts: I think I just found my next favorite author.

This is brilliant! I loved every single page. I loved how Raid is beyond cute and famous and a womanizer but at the same time, has had a complicated life and he can feel just like anyone else, even if he's so much of a jerk to show it. 

Emma is pretty and smart... struggling to find herself in a world where everyone wants to be someone else. 

The story is narrated in first person, shifting points of view from Emma to Reid, which is great because you get to understand what they think of each other and how they see the world.

Graham is kind of mysterious, smart and handsome but there's always something about him along the entire book and you have to wait until the very end to find out what it is.

And what a twist! I surely didn't expect THAT! You have to read it to find out!

Brooke... This is a complicated character. She's the queen B and is bitchy and most of the time you want to slap her in the face, but she has had a hard time too, so you try to relate and understand where that attitude come from.

I was captivated by the story from the very beginning. I was saving it for later for a long time in my kindle shelf and now I'm glad I finally got to read it because this is definitely a MUST-READ. 

I loved the writing because is light and familiar and captivating at the same time. I couldn't resist to the idea of a book about Hollywood and movies and fame. 

This author has something that makes me giggle like a crazy person while reading her books. I was so immerse in the story that I may as well be a part of it. 

I would recommend it for: Absolutely everyone. Even if you don't like YA so much, this is captivating, I'm sure you would find something to like about it.

Rating:

Quotes:

“But even if you have what everyone else wants- if it isn't what you want, it isn't what you want” 

“What do you say when the feelings don't fit into words?”

“That's how they say it: He loves you in his own way. Well, what about my way? What if I need for him to love me in my way?”

“No offense to hot girls everywhere- but newsflash- there are hot girls everywhere.” 

“But the scars are always there, waiting for something to poke them.”

“I try to be rational and suppress the hope that this is for real, but hope has a way of closing its eyes to reason and it just keeps growing. ”

“I don't know why it's so hard for me to say those three words. Most guys throw it around like breath, like bait.”

About the author:

I write romantic Mature Young Adult / New Adult fiction. 

EASY is my newest contemporary stand-alone novel. BETWEEN THE LINES is my contemporary series.  

Reading was one of my first and earliest loves, and writing soon followed. My first book was about a lost bear, but my lack of ability as an illustrator convinced me to abandon that effort and concentrate on passing 3rd grade. I wrote sad romantic poetry in high school and penned my first half-novel when I was 19, for which I did lots of research on Vikings (the marauders, not the football team). It was accidentally destroyed when I stuffed it into the shredder at work. 

Addictions: coffee and Cherry Garcia frozen yogurt. Also baby carrots, but not with coffee or frozen yogurt, because that would be disgusting. I love shopping for earrings, because they always fit - even if I occasionally forget to work out. I'm a hopeful romantic who adores novels with happy endings, because there are enough sad endings in real life.

Tammara Webber Website

Kindle Freebies

This ebooks are for free on Amazon (at least, today), check them out by clicking on the covers.

Have a nice weekend!

[Review] Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Title: Wings

Author: Aprilynne Pike

Publisher: HarperTeen

Published: May 5th 2009

Series: Wings (Book #1)

Source: I purchased a copy from a bookstore.

Blurb from Goodreads: Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful--too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

Review

My thoughts: Simple. Adorable. Fast-paced. 
It is a beautiful story which you can read easily in one sitting. It's about a girl finding herself and waking up to a world which she believed didn't exist, to realize that she's belong to it since she was born. There are all sorts of love in Wings: friendship love, teenagers love, family love, so you could say this is a love story for sure, but there's something more about it. There are new worlds where dreams and creatures are as real as you and me. 
It has some sort of love triangle between the best friend who is a geeky boy that would do whatever it takes to show his support to Laurel and to protect her in any way he can. An there's also Tamani, the faerie friend, who is mysterious and handsome and sarcastic and with whom Laurel has a connection since the begging.
I think this is a well written story which doesn't have too many details and that is readable for anyone, even kids.

I would recommend it for: Lovers of fairies and YA romance.

Rating:

Quotes:

“So there's magic? Real magic? It's not just all scientific like David says?"

Tamani rolled his eyes. "David again?"

Laurel bristled. "He's my friend. My best friend."

"Not your boyfriend?"

"No. I mean...no."

Tamani stared at her for several seconds. "So the position's still open?"

Laurel rolled her eyes. "We are so not having this conversation.” 

“Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and completely useless. ” 

“Whatever you need, I'll be. If you need the science geek to give you answers from a textbook, I'm your guy; if you just want a friend to sit by you in bio and help you feel better when you're sad, I'm still your guy." His thumb slowly stroked across her earlobe and down her cheek. "And if you need someone to hold you and protect you from anyone in the world who might want to hurt you, then I am definitely your guy.” 

About the author:

Aprilynne Pike has been spinning faerie stories since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found at the gym; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne currently lives with her husband and three kids in Utah, and dreams of warmer climates.

Aprilynne Pike's #1 New York Times best-selling debut, WINGS, is the first of four books about a seemingly ordinary girl with a not-so-ordinary destiny. In this tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever...

Aprilynne's Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/aprilynnepike

[Review] Dark Heart Forever by Lee Monroe

Title: Dark Heart Forever
Author: Lee Monroe
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: October 1st 2010
Series: Dark Heart (Book #1)
Source: I purchased a copy from a bookstore.

Blurb from Goodreads: Jane Jonas is nearing her 16th birthday and troubled by unsettling recurring dreams where the same mysterious boy her age comes to her, telling Jane that they are each other's destiny. Her mother is increasingly anxious about Jane's disruptive sleepwalking episodes, but for Jane her dream world and reality are about to collide... 

When she develops a friendship with an enigmatic stranger in town, the blond, uber-cool Evan, it's exciting, it's new, and Jane wants him more than she's ever wanted anybody - until her mystery dream boy gets in the way. 

Now Jane is caught between two worlds: one familiar, but tinged with romance and excitement; the other dark and dangerous, where angels, werewolves, and an irresistible stranger are trying to seduce her. 

Review

My thoughts: I absolutely adored this book. I've seen a lot of bad reviews but I didn't let them stop me from reading Dark Heart Forever, and I'm glad! It's a fast-paced first-on-a-series books with new concepts and ideas. Although it has some of the typical stereotypes of supernatural creatures, it creates two parallel worlds. The first one, is the real world, the normal world, where Jane a home-schooled teenager without friends lives with her parents and sister, and where she met Evan, the sexy and charming new guy in town. Jane is shy and has no friends because she was bullied when she was on school, but with Evan she suddenly feels like a normal teenager, although she is not sure she can really trust him, because there's something about him that doesn't add up. The other world is Nissilum, Luca's home and the place where the supernatural creatures lives. There are vampires, werewolves, witches and some others. Luca is the most adorable guy ever, he's caring and sweet and I have to admit I fell for him from the start. Jane meet Luca when she was supposedly sleepwalking, but there's something more about it, something stronger, a bond between the two of them. The relationship between this two is really heartwarming and cute and makes you want to be Jane. 

The author manages to create a new concept, with two worlds, some sort of love triangle and still adds a lot of unexpected twists in a story that had many interesting details. 

There's so many things I like about this book. It is definitely one of my favorites of 2012. 

I would recommend it for: Fans of Paranormal Romance. 

Rating:

Quotes:

“Our hearts are bound together,' he said, 'and I am free to decide who I love. And what I want. Nothing - not the pressure of my family, or what anyone else thinks - matters.” 

“To truly love someone you have to see their flaws. See the dark side. The things you don't like.” 

About the author:

Lee Monroe was born in London, but spent a short time living by the sea with her family when she was a teenager. She moved back to the heart of the city as soon as she could, and now lives in Westminster. 

Lee was an obsessive reader as a child, and still is. She has worked in publishing and contributed to, and ghost-written, books. 

Dark Heart Forever is her first novel under her own name.

Feature and Follow Friday [1]

The Feature & Follow Friday meme is hosted by Parajunkee’s View and Alison Can Read. It’s a great way to make more bookish friends and get more followers on your blog. Each week you share your answer to  the question of the week and hop around a tad and follow, follow, follow. 

This is my first Feature & Follow, so here we go :)

This week the question is…

Do you mind books with similar ideas to other books? Similar concepts, backgrounds, retellings or pulled-to-publish fanfic?

My answer

I think it is really hard to find an idea on a book that is absolutely original or new. So I don't mind reading books with the same concept or some similarities, as long as they have something, whatever it is that makes them different and that allows you to fall in a new imaginary world and feel new thing through the characters.

What bugs me is when I'm reading a book -that I haven't read before- and I have some sort of deja vu feeling, like "I'm not certain but it seems like I've read this before somewhere"... Obviously the point of reading new books is finding new worlds and new situations. So, when everything in a book looks suspiciously familiar, I feel cheated. 

In short, I'm not very exigent on this topic, but I'm not too soft either. I can tell when a book is too similar to another and most of the time, I don't like it.

[Review] The Initiation by L.J. Smith

Title: The Initiation

Author: L. J. Smith

Published: March 9th, 1995

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Series: The Secret Circle (Book #1)

Source: I purchased a copy from a bookstore

Blurb from Goodreads: The Circle's Power has Lured Her Home...
Cassie must confront a shattering challenge: an ordeal that could cost her life or gain her more than she's ever imagined...
Charmed by the Secret Circle, she's initiated into the mysterious "in crowd," a coven of young witches whose power has controlled New Salem for three hundred years.
Hopelessly in love with the coven leader's boyfriend, Cassie risks falling prey to dark powers in order to have him. But if she does, her endless love could destroy the coven, New Salem, and her!
...And She Will Emerge the Leader or Perish!

Review

My Thoughts: I got to know about this book because of the TV series and there in the credits was the name of one of my favorite authors! So I HAD to pick it up. Although I have to say that the show is really different than the book. I mean, the general premise is the same, a bunch of witch teenagers, a magic circle and a lot of magic.  Adam and Cassie's relationship is similar too. But the book has a lot of details that I really loved. For example, Diana's character is so captivating in the book and Faye is so mean and witchy. And I don't think the TV show made them justice. 

The initiation is a good title for this book, because it is about a girl (Cassie) who is discovering what she is capable of and it is kind of the start of her journey, along with the fact that there's actually an initiation for Cassie to be part of the circle of witches in New Salem.

In the book, Diana was my favorite character, it was like the popular girl who really deserves to be popular, because she's kind and selfless and caring.

Adam and Cassie's relationship was kinda insta-love, but it was bearable, because I could understand the longing and the remembering of someone you met and who caught your eye and who you though you will never see again and then after a while BOOM! Here he is. And then it happens to have a magical bond with you... So, I get it. 

I love how fast-paced this book is. I read it in one afternoon and I found myself wanting more of this magical story. This was the first book about magic and witches that I read and it caught me, since the very beginning. I love how some characters has some sort of affinity with different elements. I love how the story itself is so full of magic. It is a light read, nothing too fancy, but definitely entertaining. 

I would recommend it for: Everyone who loves L.J. Smith books or who liked witchcraft in a light YA way. 

Rating:

Quote:

“Listen to me," he said, and to her dismay he stepped closer. "When I first met you," he said, "I had no idea you were one of us. How could I? But I knew that you were different than that phony friend of yours. Not just another pretty girl, but somebody special.” 

About the author:

L.J. Smith recently changed her name because she got tired of being one of a googolplex of Lisa J. Smiths. Her attempts to get people to call her by her new name have not, so far, been successful. Despite initial disappointments, she will not give up the fight! She also wonders if many people out there realize that “smiths” were revered in ancient times for their ability to take bits of rock and magically turn them into useful items like swords, maces, flails, daggers, dirks, spears, halberds, arrowheads, katanas, and, eventually, lead shot and brass knuckles. And spatulas. Spatulas used to be made of metal. For this reason, smiths were thought to be a wee bit uncanny, and it was a brave man or woman who crossed them. There are few who can face up to a really well-honed spatula—or, for that matter, to cutting irony, which in Ye Good Olde Days was made of real iron.
L.J lives in the Bay Area of California, where it is always sunny except when it rains. She has a cat and lots of books. She gets most of her ideas when she is asleep. She isn’t sure whether there is genuine magic or not, but she finds it fun to write about. She believes in the maxim, “An you harm none, do as you will.” (An means “as long as.”)
In February 2011, L. J. Smith was fired from Harper/Alloy; a ghostwriter will be writing the rest of the Vampire Diaries books.